Five things every website for an artist should do
- Cieszymir Bylina
- Sep 12
- 5 min read
Why a website for an artist still matters
A strong website for an artist is not just a digital folder of images. It is a space where people can understand your practice, see your work without distractions, and contact you directly. Social platforms may help for reach, but their layouts and feeds change constantly. By contrast, your artist website gives you control. Curators, collectors, and tutors often want to see the work presented clearly, with a short bio and an easy way to get in touch. When they find that in one or two clicks, you win their attention. If they do not, they leave.
Your goal is focus. Fewer pages that do the right jobs. Big, sharp images that load fast. Copy that explains your practice in plain language. A clear path to contact that works on a phone. These five points set the foundation for any artist portfolio site and keep it tidy as your work grows.
1) Show the work first
Your images are the reason people are here. Put them front and centre and keep the background clean. Group works into series or collections if your practice spans different media. Each artwork page should give context but not overwhelm.
Why it matters
Visitors decide in seconds whether to stay on your artist portfolio site. If the work appears fast and looks good on a phone, they continue. If they face long intros or heavy video, they drop off. Leading with clear images makes the case for you before a single line of text is read.
How to do it this week
Place a grid of recent work on your homepage above the fold.
Keep ratios consistent across the grid to create rhythm.
Link each thumbnail to a dedicated artwork page with a larger image.
Common mistakes
Oversized files that stall on mobile.
Captions longer than the artwork page.
Distracting frames or backgrounds that fight with the work.
2) Keep the menu short and obvious
Navigation should be practical, not clever. The best artist websites often use just four to five menu items. More than that adds noise. If you sell editions, add a shop page. If you have many projects, use a single “Work” page with filters.
Why it matters
A short menu reduces friction. Curators in a rush will not dig through layers of labels. Simple paths help them move from homepage to work to contact quickly. This is both good UX and respect for the visitor’s time.
How to do it this week
Use this base set: Home, Work, About, Contact. Add Shop if relevant.
If you have more than six items, move extras into the footer.
Always put Contact at the end of the main menu and repeat it in the footer.
Common mistakes
Duplicate pages for similar series instead of one page with filters.
Burying contact details in a subpage or an icon.
Naming pages with codes or jokes that mean nothing to visitors.
3) Write a short, honest bio
Your bio should help visitors understand your practice at a glance. Use simple language to say what you make, why it matters, and where you are based. If you have highlights like education, awards, or shows, add one or two lines. Keep the full CV in a separate page or downloadable PDF. A portrait or studio photo gives context and makes your website for an artist feel personal.
Why it matters
A clean bio builds trust. It helps people connect your work to your story and ensures curators or writers can cite you accurately. If your artist portfolio site provides a short, polished bio, you save them time and keep your story consistent.
How to do it this week
Write three short paragraphs: practice, context, highlights.
Add one clear portrait or studio photo with alt text.
Link a full CV page or attach a downloadable PDF for detail.
Common mistakes
Theory-heavy language that hides your practice.
Long lists of venues and dates with no sense of what you make.
No location, no contact, and no recent highlights.
4) Make contact obvious and always visible
Your contact details should be easy to find. Put them in the main menu, repeat them in the footer, and add a short contact block to long pages. If you use a form, keep it simple with three fields and show your direct email beside it. This way, a curator or buyer does not have to guess how to reach you.
Why it matters
When people are ready to reach out, even small barriers break momentum. A hidden link or a form that feels like admin stops them. A clear email and a short form build trust and keep enquiries in one
place that you control.
How to do it this week
Add Contact to both the main menu and footer.
Place a short contact block on long pages like “Work” and “About.”
Keep the form to name, email, and message.
Display your direct email as text beside the form.
Set a short auto-reply to confirm receipt and response time.
Common mistakes
Overloaded forms with many required fields.
Email hidden in images or scripts that fail on mobile.
Relying only on social links and losing messages in busy inboxes.
5) Make it fast on a phone
Most curators, students, and collectors will see your work first on mobile. If your site loads slowly, they will not wait. Your goal is clear images, clean type, and fast response. You do not need heavy animations or video backgrounds. You need speed and clarity.
Why it matters
Speed shows respect for the viewer’s time. It helps search results, keeps people on your site longer, and improves the chance of contact. Mobile-first thinking is no longer optional; it is where people meet your work.
How to do it this week
Export images at 1600–2000 px for detail pages and compress before upload.
Use smaller images (around 1200 px) for grids.
Avoid auto-play video backgrounds.
Test your site on your phone over 4G and click through three artworks in a row.
Cut any heavy elements that slow the first load.
Common mistakes
Uploading full-size camera files.
Tiny light grey type that is unreadable on a phone.
Buttons too close together, making tapping difficult.
Focus keyword and related phrases
Building a strong website for an artist is about clarity and speed. The same principles apply if you think of it as an artist website, an artist portfolio site, or even a gallery website for small teams. The labels may change, but the basics remain: show the work first, keep the path short, make contact easy, and stay fast on mobile.
What to do next
You now have a practical plan. Update the homepage with your strongest works, shorten the menu, and polish your bio into three short paragraphs. Then test the whole site on your phone. If it feels smooth there, it is ready for curators and buyers.
Free resources
Portfolio Starter Kit: a simple checklist with these five steps.
Graduate Website Checklist: a short PDF for students who need a clean launch before applications.
Book a quick audit
If you want feedback, book a free 15-minute audit. Send a link to your current site or three screenshots if you are still building. You will get direct, practical notes you can act on this week..
